Whatever Happened To Tough Tie After Shark Tank?
If entrepreneurs Kevin Shoemaker and Skylar Bennett wanted you understand one thing when they entered the "Shark Tank," it was that kids and business apparel do not go together. Appearing on the show's 11th season in 2020, the two highly-energetic men pitched their product, Tough Ties — a neck-tie that, thanks to an incredibly strong design, can withstand the regular wear and tear of fatherhood. Machine washable, stain and liquid repellent, and with five times the average stitching of a regular tie, they pitched it as the perfect choice for any family man. What's more, they boasted a customizable, in-house printing process that could produce unique designs in a matter of days. The pair wanted $100,000 in exchange for 15% of the company.
Unfortunately, their pitch began to unravel rather quickly. Hoping to make $400,000 in the same year they appeared on "Shark Tank," they only expected to see $40,000 in net revenue – most of their money goes toward paid advertising. Robert Herjavec rightly points out that guys aren't wearing ties as much as they used to, to which Bennett responds that they plan to expand beyond just ties. Mark Cuban — the richest "shark" — pulled out first due to a lack of clarity, quickly followed by Lori Greiner. Kevin O'Leary calculated it would take seven years to get his money back, which made the business unattractive to him as well – he pulled out. Things were looking quite bleak for the two fathers, which enabled one remaining shark to make a brutal offer.
Tough Tie struck a deal and has since found success
With just Robert Herjavec and fashion mogul Daymond John left in the tank, chances were slim that Tough Tie would get the valuation they hoped for. Robert offered the pair $100,000 for 35% — a majority share of the company. Shoemaker and Bennett tried to talk him down to 25%, then a one-third offer — Robert declined both, refusing to even "sell" them on his 35% offer. They ultimately accepted, and the three men appear to have gone into business together.
From their website, it's hard to tell if they actually closed the deal with Robert, or if he tried to change the deal once the cameras stopped rolling. Most "Shark Tank" companies list the show on their website — successful or otherwise, the mention is usually extremely short. Tough Ties has a rather long recounting of their "Shark Tank" journey that suspiciously focuses solely on themselves and the process leading up to their appearance, rather than their partnership with Robert. In fact, the shark isn't mentioned at all.
Tough Tie has expanded its product line-up - and changed its name
Tough Tie's "Shark Tank" experience may have landed the company a major deal, but with or without a big assist from Robert Herjavec, who has gone on record to discuss how the show can change lives, it looks like it's been able to parlay its success into an even bigger one. Since Shoemaker and Bennett's time on the tank, their product lineup has gotten a major upgrade. They don't just sell ties, socks, and belts but have added both work and casual shirts to their company's lineup, along with pants, hats, and t-shirts. They have everything the well-rounded, mega-active dad might want or need, and are able to outfit them for nearly any occasion. To reflect this change in range and focus of what it's selling to its customers, the company is now called Tough Apparel.
There remains no word on whether the Tough Tie team managed to seal the deal they made with Robert during their time in the tank. As mentioned above, the company has a chronicle of Shoemaker and Bennett's experience on the show on its website, but it doesn't mention anything about the deal they struck or his acceptance of the offer. But with or without his money, it looks like the duo has found success in dressing up for tough times.